Photographic developing-cabinet.



Patented Apr. 3, |900.

P. H. HOLMES. PHOTOG-RAPH|G DEVELDPING CABINET.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHILIP Il. HOLMES, OF GARDINER, MAINE.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,699, dated April 3, 1900.

Application filed December 9, 1898. Renewed March 8,1900. Serial No. 7,927. (No model.)

To LZ/Z whom t may concern/.1

Be it known that I, PHILIP H. HoLMEs, a resident of Gardiner, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Developing-Cabinets; and I do hereby declare the following to be af ull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make'and use the saine.

My invention relates to an improvement in developing-cabinets, and more particularly to portable dark rooms, the object-of the invention being to provide a device of the above character adapted to contain several receptacles to contain compounds and in which the photographic plates or films can be treated without admittinglight to the cabinet to an injurious extent.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain nov'el features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter de scribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view showing the device ready for use. Fig. 2 is a top view showing the cover removed, and Fig. 3 is a view in section.

My improved cabinet is preferably rectangular in shape, and the top 1 and ends 2 and 3 are provided with partitions 4, disposed a short distance from the inner face thereof,

` and said partitions are provded with holes or openings 5 ont of alinement with a series of holes or openings 6 in the top and ends, whereby to permit a circulation of air through the cabinet without admitting light thereto, for a purpose more fully hereinafter explained.

The front 7 of the cabinet is provided with a circular opening 8 at or near each end for the admission of the hands of the operator, and around each of said openings a sleeve 9, of iiexible material, is provided and adapted to be slipped up on the arms of the operator, whereby to exclude light while the device is in use. A suitable window 10 is provided between said openings 8,and said Window is composed of any approved transparent material which will permit the operator to see into the cabinet and at the same time exclude as much light as possible. Suitable shades or screens 11 are provided, one on each side of said window, and the outer ends of said screens are secured to the inner face of a door or shutter 12, whereby when said door is thrown back, as shown in Fig. 1, the shades or screens will be held perpendicular and permit the oper-` ator to see into the window and at the same time exclude the light from the cabinet. The door or shutter 12 is preferably of sut'iicient length to inclosc the sleeves 9 when it is closed, and any suitable catch or catches 13 may be employed for securing said door or shutter in its closed position.

The back of the cabinet is provided witha window 14, of glass or other material, preferably colored,whereby to admit a small amount of light to the cabinet, and a suitable door or cover 15is adapted to close said window, and said door is hinged at its lower edge and provided on its upper edge with suitable catches,

whereby to secure the door in its closed position when it is not desired to admit light through this window 14:.

The top 1 of the cabinet is removable, as shown, for the purpose of preparing the interior of the cabinet for use or cleaning the same, and said top is secured iu place on the cabinet by means of suitable corner-brackets or catches 1G. The top 1 is provided with a window 17, of dark glass or other suitable material, and a shade 18, of fabric or glass different in color to the window 17, is provided for said window, so that when the light is too strong the shade 18 can be disposed over the window 17 to deaden the light passing into the cabinet. The shade 1S may be made in any approved manner; but in the accompanying drawings I have shown the same hinged at one edge to the top 1,whereby it can be thrown back, if desired. A suitable door or shutter 19 is provided for the window 17 and shade 1S,` and said door or shutter is hinged to the top 1 and provided on its free edge with suitable catches 20, whereby to secure the same in its closed position.

Suitable receptacles 2l may be disposed in the cabinet for containing developer, hypo, water,and the like, whereby to permit the operator to fully develop aplate or film without exposing the same to the light. The cabinet is also adapted to receive a plate-holder 20a and permit the charging of a camera and the in- IOO terehanging` of plates in their holders without injury to the plates.

In the cabinets heretofore in use when an operator has been at work in the saine :for a short period the heat from his hands will canse a vapor to form on the glass or windows and prevent or hinder him from seeingl into the cabinet, and to avoid this I permit a circulation of air through the cabinet, as heretofore described.

If desired, I may provide a door or shutter for the window 10, which may be closed when filling plate-holders, as it is not necessary to see into the Cabinet for such Work, and the door or shutter also serves to protect the window during?)` transportation. I may dispense entirely with the Window 14 in the back of the cabinet, as the same may not be desired, and when the device is to be carried from place to place I may provide a suitable handle secured at some convenient point of the cabinet.

Various other slight changes might be resorted to in the general form and arrangement of the several part-s described without depariing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I would have it understood hat I do not wish to limit myself lo the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty lo make such slight changes and alterations as fairly .fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Leiters Patent, is-

l. A developing-cabinet consisting' of a receptacle having' one of its sides provided with arm openings, sleeves secured at one end around said openings, and a window located between said arm-openings, in combination with a hinged cover having secured to its inner surface the upper edges of two depending` flexible shades which are located on op posiie sides of the windoiv, substantially as set forth.

2. In a developing-cabinet,the combination of a box or receptacle, a movable cover over the same, said box or receptacle having,r two openings, means for normally closingr said openings, flexible sleeves secured at one end to the box or receptacle, around said openings, a windenv of colored glass in the cabinet; at a point intermediate of said sleeves, a seoond window of colored glass fixed in another part of the cabinet, a hinged shade over said last-mentioned window and a hinged shutter over said shade.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing` witnesses.

PHILIP ll. IIOIAIICS.

Witnesses:

LAUREN M. Simmons, ANNE Ummm 

